Rankin book is Xmas No 1

Ian Rankin’s latest novel has been announced as the Christmas No1 best-selling book in the UK hardback fiction charts – overtaking another Edinburgh-based writer, JK Rowling with her book Casual Vacancy.

Rankin’s 28th novel, Standing In Another Man’s Grave, takes Detective Inspector John Rebus out of retirement, which Rankin imposed on him in 2006, to track down five young women who mysteriously vanish near the A9.

Rowling’s first novel aimed at adult readers went to the top of the fiction charts in the week after its release on September 27.